Italy implements new parental consent laws for school sexual education

New regulations in Italy, specifically Law 104/2026, are introducing requirements for parental consent regarding sexual education in schools. Starting in the upcoming school year, secondary schools must obtain prior informed consent from families for any extracurricular or additional educational activities related to sexual topics. Furthermore, schools are required to provide all teaching materials to families at least seven days before such interventions.

The law strictly prohibits these specific activities in nursery and primary schools to prevent what the Ministry describes as potential confusion regarding gender identity in young children. However, the law does not exclude the standard national curriculum, which includes mandatory biological sexual education components.

Critics argue that these bureaucratic requirements and the fear of inspections may discourage schools from addressing sensitive topics like consent, interpersonal relationships, and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. They warn that a vacuum in formal education may lead adolescents to rely on unverified and potentially harmful content from social media and online platforms.